Here are some of the evolving background characters for the LTM film (and some characters who almost certainly won’t actually make it into the film!) You can see the influence of Edward Burra’s paintings on a number of the designs.

I’ve been drawing Character designs for the LTM over these summer. They’ve developed significantly in the last month and as the story has become clearer I’ve refined and narrowed them down, but I want to show some of the earliest ideas…

The Ariel puppet is based on a Kabuki onnagata. The costume shown here is the Harpy variation. There are a few versions of the character, the top drawings show some that more closely resembling the Haniwa I posted before.

I want to make Prospero puppet part-man part-animal. I’ve collected some twigs to make his antlers. I need to get something suitable for his wispy beard.

This seems like a suitable interpretation of the character especially in relation to Kabuki. Researching the essay informed me that Kabuki actors assume the roles of ‘creatures that transcend the boundary between fox and human. It is a world of creatures and creaturism’ (Watanabe, 2006, p.202).

There is also a definite ‘taste for the supernatural, usually in the form of revengeful ghosts, spiteful lovers snakes in human form or women bewitched by foxes’ (Bowers, 1974, p.168).

We had a drawing class with the marvellous Maryclare in the British Museum. I spent time in the Islamic Art section and the Japan section. The drawing below is copied from a 15th Century dish. It was painted in a deep blue onto a white glaze. Some Islamic painting was really influential in the early stages of the development of my creature, so it was nice to learn more about it and see another graceful bearded animal.